Where does egress end in residential

[High Desert]

Jar, I believe this code section requires you to apply stairway requirements to those stairs that are required from the egress door exterior landing when such landing is not at grade. So they are regulated by the code. Now the argument that once you cross that plane of the doorway and are outside may be valid. But you still have to regulate stairs off the required egress landing.

"When exterior landings or floors serving the required

egress door are not at grade, they shall be provided with

access to grade by means of a ramp in accordance with Section

R311.8 or a stairway in accordance with Section

R311.7."

 

[mjesse]

Jar, I believe this code section requires you to apply stairway requirements to those stairs that are required from the egress door exterior landing when such landing is not at grade. So they are regulated by the code. Now the argument that once you cross that plane of the doorway and are outside may be valid. But you still have to regulate stairs off the required egress landing."When exterior landings or floors serving the required

egress door are not at grade, they shall be provided with

access to grade by means of a ramp in accordance with Section

R311.8 or a stairway in accordance with Section

R311.7."

Agreed.

mj

 

[MikeC]

Okay, let's muddy up the water a bit more. We all agree on R311.1 requiring the means of egress to be a continuous and unobstructed path to the egress door. We also agree that there is only one egress door required. Multiple other exterior doors can exist without meeting the requirement of an egress door.

So why does Section R311 discuss other doors, windows, screen doors, floor elevations at other doors, etc... ? You only have to provide a path from any portion of the dwelling (is an exterior deck a portion of the dwelling .... I think so .... check the definition of dwelling) to the exterior of the dwelling at the egress door.

It only gets more confusing as we go on.

 

[RJJ]

Back to the original post! The answer is no under the IRC. Under the IBC egress stairs need to be covered.

 

[RJJ]

I am going to back up on this one. 2009 The code says "All buildings shall be provided with a means of egress as provided in this section." So this covers every element contained in the path of egress.

If you mean is the covered porch, covered or included in the code as part of the means of egress, the answer is yes.

I assume your are not asking for if it needs to covered or protected.

 

[jar546]

I'm going to start another thread to tackle this one with a poll.

 

[Yankee]

Back to the original post! The answer is no under the IRC. Under the IBC egress stairs need to be covered.

I don't think the IBC tates that egress stairs need t be covered. But that discussion shouldn't be in this thread.

 

[Mr. Inspector]

Interesting post. The PA code says decks under 30" don't need a permit. So I would think decks over 30" high including it's stairs would need to be permitted and inspected per the IRC even if it's not at the egress door.